I want to extend a warm welcome to the new volunteers who have joined us here at PALS. Thank you for giving of your free time to help change lives through literacy. Take advantage of the support and resources offered! Reach out—tell me what you need, what you want, what you enjoy. If there’s something you want to learn, or information you want to share, let me know. I’m here to support you. And don’t forget about the Tutor Advisory Committee, a committee of tutors supporting volunteer tutors.

On September 8, we celebrated International Literacy Day at City Hall. Thank you to everyone who was able to be there and to those who couldn’t make it but kept the day and PALS in their thoughts. We were blessed to be joined by tutors, learners, and other people who are just as passionate about literacy as we are. It was a fantastic day of speeches, snacks, and friends—both new and old. Read more.

I have always associated September with learning new things, the smell of new markers, the luxury of blank pages to write on, and an absolute wealth of cheap stationery supplies. And that’s not even getting into the relief from the heat of summer, or the lovely colours the leaves turn as the world prepares for its winter nap. Even though I don’t attend school, the pattern is so ingrained that every September I start thinking about new things to learn or improve on. This month let’s get excited about learning again.

Warm wishes,
Laureen

P.S. I plan on learning more about boundary setting. What do you plan or want to learn this month? Send me an email and let me know!